


Something More

by Mrs_Don_Draper (orphan_account)



Series: Something [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Friendship/Love, M/M, Male Friendship, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-14
Updated: 2012-06-14
Packaged: 2017-11-07 17:23:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/433584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Mrs_Don_Draper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Though Bruce is born a Beta, it doesn't mean he's immune to an Alpha's charm. Especially when that Alpha is Tony Stark. (No mpreg)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something More

The thing about Betas is that they exhibit traits that are characteristic of both Alphas and Omegas. Bruce remembers being in health class in high school and learning about how the rest of his and his friends' lives would go once they hit puberty. Some of the guys were already exhibiting signs of being an Alpha, Beta, and Omega. One didn't even really know for sure what one was until the age of sixteen. Bruce knew he was a Beta, just from the way his teacher was listing off characteristics. Bruce has characteristics of an Alpha: strength, ability to impregnate an Omega, attraction to Omegas; Beta: nearly non-existent heat cycle, inability to become pregnant, propensity to scent people; and Omega: strong attraction to Alphas during heat cycle, slightly smaller in build than most Alphas, and a low sex drive outside of their heat cycle. It was something he learned to live with from then on, without much of an issue. In fact, according to some of the stories his friends shared with him, he had gotten off easy as a Beta. Many a time he had let a friend cry on his shoulder when heat had overtaken them with no Alpha to abate the ache that resonated deep inside them. Sometimes, though Bruce would never admit it to a soul, he would assist them through the worst of it. He was never one to be able to stand by and let a fellow human being suffer, and if that meant allowing the more controlling side of him out, then he would do it, knowing that he would have a harder time when his cycle kicked in since he was not friends with many Alphas as they were typically the assholes of the school.

But Bruce learned to adapt. Though many of his school mates had already had many heat cycles since the ages of sixteen or seventeen, his did not take hold until he was twenty, right in the middle of his sophomore year at college. It had taken him by surprise since he had come to assume that since it had not happened by now that it never would. What worried him was that he didn't even have an Alpha or even another Beta boyfriend or girlfriend to mate with. At least, not anyone he knew well enough to trust with such an important and intimate part of his life. But Bruce was smart; he knew that he couldn't just ignore it. He clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the urge to run out of his physics class and find some jock on the football team, a place where he knew it would be easy to find an Alpha if he needed one. Or, or, maybe he could just ask someone from his lab group to help him out. There was someone that he was sure was at least a Beta, maybe an Alpha. It was someone who he knew pretty well, but whether he knew him well enough to ask such a thing of him was yet to be decided. Anyway, class wouldn't be over for another half hour so it didn't even matter if he mustered up the courage at the moment. But the idea consumed him as he felt like he was burning up in his seat. He did his best to deep breathe, trying to concentrate on numbers and formulas and laws instead of the warmth that was spreading through his body. This was going to be a long day if this wasn't resolved soon; he just knew it. He taps his pencil on his notebook impatiently, waiting for the clock to run out so he could find Chris and tell him to meet him at his dorm. Never was Bruce more relieved to have a dorm room all to himself.

He tries not to sprint across the quad when he spots Chris among his group of friends, enjoying his lunch in the shade of a tree and enjoying the cool breezes of Spring. God, he doesn't even know what he is going to say. How does one just ask someone to do something like this? With his Omega friends, they had either had their own boyfriend or girlfriend, or they went to Bruce. Bruce swallows and takes another deep breath. If his friends could depend on him, maybe some luck would be thrown his way and he could ask Chris this favor this one time until he could find someone would perhaps be more willing. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Bruce made his presence known and all eyes turn to him. Well, here goes nothing...

“Hey, um, Chris, I was wondering if I could please speak to you in private for a second?”

Chris smiles an easy smile, which reassures Bruce that at least if he was going to be flat out turned down, Chris would not hold it against him or rudely shun him for asking. If anything, he knew that Chris would still be his friend and pretend that it had never happened in the first place.

“Sure,” he says, standing up and excusing himself from his group. His friends go back to whatever conversation they had been having before Bruce showed up. They move a few yards away. “What's up?”

“I'm not even sure how to ask you this,” he answers, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. “It's actually really embarrassing.”

“Are you ok?” Chris looks concerned and that only makes Bruce feel worse about asking. It makes him question if this is even important enough to talk about with someone. As if he should just have let the whole thing run its course on its own and just power through. But he has come this far, he tells himself, too late to back out now.

“Are---are you an Alpha?” 

He figures it's the best way to come out and say it without coming out and saying it. He feels his cheeks grow hot, and it's difficult to look into Chris's deep blue eyes.

“No, man, I'm not. I'm a Beta actually. Do you need help with...?”

He makes a gesture that Bruce takes to mean “does he need help with his heat cycle.” Too embarrassed to speak, he nods his head. There are a few moments of silence that make Bruce's heart beat faster in his chest. But then, just as he is about to just say forget it and walk away, he feels a hand rest on his shoulder, and he looks up again. Chris is just looking at him like he understands, like he wants to make it better, and hope floods his stomach with a million tiny butterflies flitting around inside him.

“Ok,” Chris says. “Ok. I understand. Look, I've got a class to go to in a bit. It gets out at 3:00. Where do you want to meet up?”

Bruce lets out a sigh of relief. Thank God.

“My room: 206.” A beat. “Thank you. You have no idea.”

Chris smiles again, and Bruce feels his body begin to tremble. He feels his ass begin to go slick at the thoughts running through his head.

“It's alright. Really. I'll see you around 3:00. Will you be ok until then?”

Bruce nods, speechless at his kindness and understanding. He was so grateful for his friend in this moment and so overwhelmed with the urge to wrap his arms around Chris right here in front of everyone. But he doesn't; he folds his hands behind his back and watches Chris jog a bit to catch up with his friends who are packing up their garbage and moving to go to their next class for the day.

On his way back to his dorm, Bruce lets his thoughts wander again. He contemplates the fact that this is not only his first experience with a heat, but it is also his first experience with a mate. He knows that he is a late bloomer in that respect, but the idea honestly doesn't bother him. He just accepts it as a part of life that he intends on exploring to gain a better understanding of himself and his biology. It's one of the reasons he became so interested in the sciences in the first place. Ever since his health class, he developed an intense interest in the way things work, in what makes things tick. Including himself. He's not overly worried about his meeting with Chris. No more worried than anyone is for their first time being taken. Bruce knows what it is like to be on the giving end, but not the receiving, so he takes comfort in the fact that he's not going into this completely blind. He shudders at the thought of being blindfolded, tells himself to take it easy.

It turns out that Chris is just as good a lover as he is a friend: kind, caring, attentive, compassionate. All the things he hopes he was to his old Omega friends. He hopes he wasn't too rough or too impatient with them when they needed him to be gentle and slow. Chris kiss his neck as he rocks into him, leaning lightly over his back as he does so.

“Tell me if I do something you don't like,” Chris tells him as he reaches one of his hands down to grasp Bruce's dick in his warm hand.

“No, no, that's good. Real good,” Bruce assures, moaning when Chris hits his sweet spot on his next thrust in.

Chris gently but firmly jacks his hand up and down Bruce's cock, rubbing his thumb around the head, smearing the pre-come pooling there. It acts as a very good natural lubricant since neither of them want to stop long enough to retrieve the bottle from the desk across the room. Bruce's muscles contract tightly when Chris twists his wrist just so and continues to hit his sweet spot on each thrust in. That combined with his heat-induced increased sensitivity is almost too much. He says as much to Chris.

“I---I think I'm gonna---oh!”

Chris jacks faster. “Come on, come on. It's ok. Come on, Bruce, come for me, baby.”

And who is Bruce to refuse a command like that? He spills white across Chris's hand and on the towel below him as he moans through his climax. God, it just feels so damn good, like such a relief after the way he was feeling in class. No wonder his high school friends always seemed so relaxed after being so tense for so long. Coming was finally being released from the all-consuming heat that spread through his body. And he was just a Beta. He could only imagine how much worse it would be for someone to experience this month after month as an Omega. He shudders, and isn't sure whether it's because he feels sympathetic or if it's because Chris come deeply inside his ass. He guesses that it's a combination.

When his high begins to abate, his embarrassment comes back again. He's ready to start apologizing until he feels Chris press up behind him and wrap his arms around Bruce's body. It's actually quite comforting. They rest like that for a while, listening to each other's panting slow to a steady in-and-out pace. Bruce is almost ready to simply drift off to sleep when he hears Chris's voice speaking softly next to his ear.

“I'm here for you, Bruce. I know what it's like for a Beta. I know it's frustrating to have these irregular heats where you're not sure if it'll last a day or a week, and not be sure when the next one is even gonna happen. But I can tell you that as long as we're friends and you trust me, you can always come to me. And I hope I can do the same.”

Bruce is not ashamed to admit that that sentiment chokes him up. That someone could care so deeply about another human being that they are willing to offer themselves selflessly to ensure another person's happiness and well-being. It's almost overwhelming to consider that someone wants to offer that sort of affection to him and in such an intimate way. He knows that some Betas don't bother taking one or several permanent mates because of lack of necessity, but Bruce thinks that if he had to choose someone, it would be Chris. And maybe that sounds like he's jumping way ahead of himself, like he's only saying that because he just had sex and he's too young to even know what love really is and all kinds of crap like that, but in that moment, that it what Bruce feels to be true.

He turns over to face Chris before he answers. “Yeah. Yeah, of course. You don't know what that means to me to hear that.”

Chris leans over to give him a kiss. They kiss until they begin to become drowsy again and fall asleep in each other's arms.

When they graduate two years later, they promise to call, to keep in touch. To remember each other. The last phone call they had was in '92. When Bruce tried calling in '95, he discovered the number had been disconnected. It was ok. It was for the best. Chris had probably heard on the news that he was a monster and had decided to stay as far away from Bruce as possible to protect himself and his family. No one wants to say that they are friends with the Hulk. Who would?

When he joins the Avengers seventeen years later, it turns out that Tony Stark would. In fact, one of the first things he says to Bruce is, “Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”

What does one say that besides, “Thanks”?

Looking back to that first meeting, Bruce realizes that although Tony is the polar opposite of Chris in almost every way, he is reminded of him in the kindness (well, Tony's brand of kindness, which is still very nice) Tony shows for him that he doesn't always show other people. Bruce has seen him go toe-to-toe with Captain America, of all people, as well as Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and countless others who have been exposed to his sarcasm and ego. But with Bruce, it always feels as if he tones himself down. Like he feels less of a need to play himself up and go peacocking around the lab. And Bruce is thankful for it. Not that Tony is completely innocent, however, but he is definitely comfortable to be around. Bruce assumes that Tony has the biggest problem with Steve because, as surprising as it is to hear it, Steve is actually an Omega, which Tony, as a red-blooded Alpha, always seems to have a problem with him when he tries to the team leader over Tony.

Bruce doesn't like to get involved when an Alpha and Omega fight like Tony and Steve do. It's a pretty rare thing to see, really. But not all Omegas are like Steve, given the chance to become more than they were born to be. When Steve was offered the chance to make something of himself when he was first rejected from the U.S. Army in the 1940s, he saw his chance to serve his country without letting his biology dictate what kind of life he would lead. Bruce secretly admires him for it, but would never dream of saying so to Tony. So when the two start yet another tiff, Bruce quietly excuses himself and lets them duke it out.

Maybe it's because he knows how to stay out of other people's business or maybe it's because he's the only one who understands the scientific jargon Tony is always throwing about as if he expects everyone to understand what he's saying, but Tony seems to take more and more of a shine to Bruce, which Bruce can definitely appreciate. And even though he hasn't had a cycle in years, there is something about his intimacy with Tony that makes Bruce want to be in his presence, just to soak in what he has to say about this experiment or that equation or make a very thoughtful observation on everyday events that make Bruce step back for a second and go “huh.” Tony's intelligence, sense of humor, and especially his acceptance of who is, despite what he can become, allows Bruce to finally feel comfortable with the idea of opening up to someone, allows him to begin surrounding him with people who trust him. Their band of misfits finally gives him people he can connect with. He is happy that Tony—as well as the others—provide him with the feeling of belonging.

As a Beta, Bruce expresses himself differently from an Alpha or an Omega. One of the most common ways for a Beta to show affection was through scenting. It is a sort of milder way of showing, for lack of a better word, ownership over that person. And as Bruce began to become ever closer with Tony, his need to scent became stronger. However, Bruce was never one to just jump into something, especially a relationship. If it was meant to be, it would happen organically. Bruce allowed himself to see where his sort-of courtship with Tony would take him, starting off slow to test the waters of where he stood with Tony to begin with. Luckily for Bruce, Tony is a touchy feely kind of guy.

It starts in the lab one day. Tony's been tackling the same project all morning, and Bruce can tell that he's getting frustrated. Tony hates it when the numbers refuse to add up no matter how the math is ordered and reordered. It gets to the point where Bruce himself is feeling on-edge about it too. Finally, in a fit of annoyance, Tony hurls his pen across the room and slams his hands down on the table.

“Goddammit!” 

Bruce can tell that Tony is tense. His shoulders are hiked up to his ears. His muscles bunched like he's going to throw more things if the stupid problem doesn't have a solution in the next five seconds. Bruce goes over to him to see if he's ok.

“Yeah. Fine. Great. Can't you tell that everything's great by the way I'm smiling?”

In all honesty, it looked more like a grimace than anything else.

“Here, ease your shoulders down,” Bruce says, gently resting his hands over them. He gently begins to rub circles into the knots that have formed in his muscles over the course of several days. Immediately, his shoulders drop down to where they should be. He digs in a little harder.

“God, Banner. Is this what they teach you in yoga class? Feels fucking great.”

Bruce smiles when he lets out a little moan of pleasure at his touch. Most Alphas don't like to be touched so intimately by someone—some Alphas would say—who were considered to be below the station of an Alpha. It's a good sign, in Bruce's opinion, that that is not so in his case. Again, it feels good to be able to just have this without worrying about things like status and station and Beta roles. With Tony, he never feels like he's inferior.

He pulls his hands away when he finally feels Tony relax. Tony sighs deeply. It sounded like he really needed that.

“Think you can work now?” Bruce asks as Tony turns around to thank him.

Tony gives him a cheeky smile and says, “I think I can, big guy. Anyone ever tell you that you have magic fingers?”

Bruce decides to be cheeky too. “Maybe a few. But I don't kiss and tell.”

Tony smiles at that and turns back to his work bench, pulling out another pen. Bruce pretends not to hear what Tony says under his breath: “More like fuck and tell.” 

From then on, their friendship develops quite nicely. It gets easier to open up to Tony and vice versa, and they get more familiar with their touches. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary to see them hug or share their food or even press a chaste kiss on a cheek when one of them was feeling particularly happy with themselves of the other. It was the other Avengers who were more surprised at the development, having always had the assumption that Betas almost never became so attached to an Alpha and an Alpha to a Beta. But when was Tony ever one to do what everyone else was doing?

Tony felt that they fit well with the other dynamics in the group: Clint and Natasha, both Alphas, yet their bond was just as strong as any other; Thor and his totally insane, not-brother Loki; and Thor would even occasionally dominate Steve when his heat was in progress, taking care of him and his needs throughout his four day cycle. The only time there was a serious clash between any of the Avengers, was when Steve and Tony got into it. Tony hated it when Steve acted “above his position,” as he would say with a bite. And while Tony probably didn't mean it, only meant to shut Steve up, it was apparent that Steve was deeply affected by his words. Everyone knew it was an Alpha's job to make an Omega feel welcome, even if that Omega was Captain America. Just because he was a superhero didn't mean he didn't have feelings. It wasn't odd for Steve to practically live in the gym, going through punching bag after punching bag, after a spat with Tony.

Natasha was particularly harsh with him when she saw Steve's reaction. When no one else could seem to reason with him, Natasha always stepped forward, knowing that she would not be refused. She had too much dirt on Tony and knew too many of his weaknesses to make her an enemy. She basically threatens him with violence to go apologize to him. The “or else” is always heavily implied. Tony's form of apology is usually sparring with Steve and getting the crap beat out of him and occasionally sex, in that he knows Omegas like being dominated—in or out of heat—and Tony is really getting the knack for what Steve likes. If anyone actually cared to pay close enough attention, one might think he was almost doing it on purpose to have an excuse to have a few hours alone with Steve and his moans of pleasure.

Bruce just happens to be one of those people.

“You spar with Steve yesterday?” Bruce asks one day while he and Tony eat breakfast at Stark Tower.

Tony smirks at the morning paper he's reading. “Yeah. He kicked my ass.” He sips his coffee.

Bruce sees his chance. He's been wondering how to exactly broach the subject with Tony and it now shows itself in the form of a perfect retort.

“'Cause I was wondering if maybe you kicked his ass seeing as how he was walking with a limp yesterday.”

Tony splutters in his drink. It's Bruce's turn to smirk.

“That's what I thought.”

Bruce takes a bite of his scrambled eggs.

“Jealous, Banner?”

Oh, so Tony wants to flirt. Yeah, Bruce can handle that just fine. He swallows his bite before answering.

“What if I am? You going to do something about it?”

Tony stands up to lean across the table. “You know I'm game. Just tell me what you want, baby.”

“I want you, Tony.”

It's only a matter of seconds before Tony is on the other side of the table, taking Bruce's face in his hands to thoroughly kiss his warm, pink lips. When they pulls back for air, Bruce asks one question: “Bedroom?”

Catching his lips in another searing kiss, Tony begins leading Bruce through the top floor to his master bedroom. Inside is as decadent as the rest of the building. A beautiful view of the New York City skyline, the Atlantic Ocean a bright blue strip in the distance, as well as lovely carved dresser and nightstand set, complete with JARVICE-regulated mood-lighting. But they're not paying attention to those things; they're too buys paying attention to each other. When they make it to the bed, Tony lands on top a Bruce with a soft “oof.” And though they want to continue being connected, if they want to undress, they know they have to part.

As clothes are stripped off, each takes the time to admire the other. When Tony removes his black day-go tee, the brightness of the arc reactor is breathtaking. Not only is the brilliance of the shine something to admire, but also the incredible piece of technology that it actually is. Bruce can't help himself; he has to touch it. He cautiously reaches up a hand, waiting for Tony's permission before doing so.

“Go ahead.” He doesn't need to warn Bruce to be careful. He's sure he already knows. 

Bruce is a bit surprised at the amount of heat it actually gives off. It's warm and solid beneath his fingertips, much like Tony himself is. It's both frightening and comforting to know that this is what is keeping Tony alive.

Bruce can't help but continue his exploration of Tony's body when he's done admiring the arc reactor. Tony is like a solid wall of muscle. He's toned and tanned and simply gorgeous. He responds so animatedly to Bruce's every touch and caress, and it seems he is completely erect in no time at all. Getting Tony to moan like that is definitely in his top ten of accomplishments. But he is just as generous with his touches as Bruce is. It's almost as if he already knew the Bruce loved his neck to be sucked on, his thighs to be caressed, his nipples to be toyed with. What Bruce found most satisfying about all this though, was that while they were hugely enjoying it, there was no sense of urgency or finality in their motions. There was something akin to love that permeated the whole room. Such care and concern was noticeable in each stroke and touch that Bruce couldn't help but get choked up. He is slightly discomfited when he feels tears spring to his eyes.

“Oh, baby,” Tony soothes. “It's ok. It's alright. I'm right here.”

He leans down from his position on Bruce's lap to kiss the tears from his eyes.

The next thing he knows, Tony's got lubricant out and he's slicking up both their cocks, taking them both into his right hand. Bruce keens when he begins stroking. His eyes slam shut in embarrassment at the noises he's making. 

“Bruce, honey, look at me,” he hears Tony say. “Come on, open your eyes. I wanna---wanna see your eyes.”

With some effort, Bruce does, wanting so badly to obey. He thrusts helplessly into Tony's tight fist. He's feeling overwhelmed by Tony's gentle care.

“You're doing so good, Bruce, so good. Your cock feels amazing next to mine. Do you even know how hot you are?”

Bruce can only gasp in response. Watching Tony's eyes shine with such admiration for him almost does him in right there. He's just so, so close.

“Al---almost there, Bruce. Come on. Come on. Can you come for me, baby?”

And, God, he just does. Just spills with a cry and Tony follows right after, painting his chest and stomach in white. Some even hits his chin, and it's just all so freeing and wonderful and right that when the aftershocks abate, he pulls Tony down to him and kisses him harshly, trying to convey so much that he hopes he's been understood. Tony kisses just as harshly back and hopes that Bruce knows what he's trying to say as well.

And Bruce thinks back to Chris again, just for a moment, because he taught Bruce what belonging and feeling accepted feels like, and Bruce knows this is it. Curled in Tony's arms, kissing and panting and just being themselves, Bruce knows that this is what he's been looking for his whole life. And really, what more could one want?


End file.
